A Wesh Government minister has criticised dangerous dogs legislation arguing it makes certain breeds more attractive as status symbols.

In an interview with the Western Mail, Environment Minister John Griffiths said he wanted to change the law to criminalise irresponsible owners not specific types of animal.

The Newport East Labour AM said that “unintended consequences” of the Dangerous Dogs Act meant that criminals were able to identify certain more aggressive dogs to procure to “send a message” that they were to be feared.

He was speaking during the consultation on the Control of Dogs (Wales) Bill, which is due to finish on March 1.

The Bill would make it an offence to have a dog that was out of control, including on all private property, including people’s homes.

It also follows high-profile incidents where out-of-control dogs have attacked people – including the case of Erfan Ali, who was scarred for life after being mauled aged six by a Rhodesian Ridgeback which leapt over the garden fence at his home in Cardiff when he was helping his mother bring in washing.

His father Dilwar Ali has since campaigned for licensing of dogs after the incidents, amid growing calls for tougher dog controls.

“We saw some unintended consequences from the Dangerous Dogs Act. I think a lot of people think that identifying particular breeds as dangerous breeds was counterproductive,” Mr Griffiths told the Western Mail.

“What it actually did was to say to some people in society, ‘if you want to develop a macho image for yourself and impress others you need a very powerful dog in your control and ownership’, and these are the breeds that you should be acquiring.

“What actually happened was that there was a burgeoning in ownership of dogs that do present particular problems if they’re not properly trained, socialised and owned on a responsible basis.”

He said the government was looking to move to a “deed not the breed” approach to punishing irresponsible dog ownership.

The Control of Dogs Bill could see owners banned from owning dogs if they fail to keep their dogs under control or comply with proposed Dog Control Notices (DCN) which require them to keep dogs under control.

But he said: “I think there are, no doubt, criminal elements to this as well, which the police are very familiar with.

“There are certain people involved with illegal activity, whether it is illegal drug dealing or anything else, where having a powerful or savage dog, because they haven’t reared it or trained it properly, in their home or in their ownership because they think it sends a message that they want to send – that as an individual they are to be feared.

“The police themselves have encountered problems sometimes when raiding premises that have been involved with illegal drug dealing which have savage dogs present on those premises and making the police’s job all the more difficult.

“Wider than that perhaps there is an element of men particularly wanting to cultivate a macho image, obviously it’s a big part of the male psyche. Sometimes they’ve wanted to be out and about with a powerful dog on the end of the lead for lots of the reasons.”

The Welsh Government is also looking to introduce compulsory microchipping of dogs, as well as crack down on puppy farms.

Legislation on dog control had previously only made it an offence to have a dog out of control in public places and private places where dogs are not allowed.

DCNs would be served on an owner if a dog causes alarm, which would force the owner to take control of their dog and undergo training.

Mr Griffiths also indicated that the Welsh Government was looking to adopt Westminster legislation in Wales to ban wild animals in travelling circuses, if the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) brings forward a change in the law.

“A lot of people feel very strongly on animal welfare issues so I think it is heartening that a lot of the communications I get people do think the Welsh Government is doing some important things on animal welfare,” he said.

“It’s a stunning statistic I think that we’re approaching half a million dogs in Wales. For three million people, that’s quite a lot of dogs. So there are lots of issues around dogs.”